This funding will be used to train Medical Advocates of the Women's Center of Montgomery County, emergency room personnel from area hospitals and police officers who are normally first responders and trained to assist victims of domestic violence. This is the only nationally distributed program proven to increase knowledge, improve attitudes and change child protective behaviors.

"For more than a decade, Verizon has been a champion of ending domestic violence and supports a broad range of programs that include training healthcare practitioners and first responders about screening for signs of abuse, engaging men as role models and advocates for prevention, educating teens about preventing dating violence and collecting no-longer-used wireless phones and accessories, with proceeds supporting and furthering domestic violence prevention programs," says Daniel J. Reavy, Director-External Affairs, Verizon Pennsylvania. "We are pleased to help expand the critical programs and services of Mission Kids to help those in need in the community."

"We want to express the gratitude we have to the Verizon Foundation for this grant. The success of Mission Kids is a direct result of community partnerships like the partnership with Verizon. Mission Kids has accomplished so much in 4 years directly as a result of the tremendous support we receive from across our community," states Abbie Newman, Executive Director of Mission Kids.

"This grant is another indication of the type of community partnership consistently shown by Verizon," says Risa Vetri Ferman, who is also the co-founder of Mission Kids. "The more community alliances, the greater chance we have of achieving the goal of providing access to a Child Advocacy Center for all children across the Commonwealth." Only 22 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties currently have dedicated Child Advocacy Centers.

Mission Kids offers a comprehensive, centrally located, multidisciplinary team response to allegations of child abuse in a dedicated, child-friendly setting to achieve justice for child victims and promote their physical and emotional well-being. Since its inception in 2009, Mission Kids has provided almost 1,500 neutral, fact-finding forensic interviews, which have been coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing, and supports Montgomery County's multidisciplinary team approach to child abuse investigation and intervention.

Those who would like to learn more about Mission Kids or make a donation to the organization may contact Executive Director, Abbie Newman at 484-687-2990, or visit www.missionkidscac.org.